BOULDER, Colo. — When the coronavirus pandemic hit Venezuela in January, Dr. Aquiles Iturbe called his son in Boulder to tell him to take it seriously.
In turn, his son, Aquiles La Grave, asked his 65-year-old father if he could "sit this one out."
La Grave told his father of all the amazing things he's done as a doctor in 40 years, and reminded him of the family that loves him.
But his father was stubborn and refused to abandon his patients at Clinica La Floresta in Caracas, Venezuela.
“No matter what happened, he was going to be there for his patients," said La Grave.
And he was, until 10 days ago, when Iturbe tested positive for COVID-19.
"He stayed home for the first three days, but pretty quickly it became clear that he needed to be hospitalized. He was moved to the ICU about two days ago," said La Grave.
His son said the hospital is severely lacking in equipment and only has one ventilator. He said his father needs a Fisher Optiflow + High Flow Therapy machine to help with ventilation.
“If there’s a way we can get them these machines and save lives, and save my dad, that would be amazing," said La Grave.
La Grave said, after seeing the 9NEWS story on his father, a Denver man who works as the head of purchasing at a network of hospitals, worked his contacts all night until he got the sale of the ventilating machine approved by the president of the company who sells them.
Now the family needs financial help to fly the machine to Caracas.
His family has created a GoFundMe in hopes of being able to pay a pilot to deliver it to Caracas.
Before his father went to the ICU, La Grave spoke with him and said his father told them he loved them.
La Grave said he wishes his father could have stopped working, but his passion to serve is also what makes him love his dad even more.
"I'm proud and so angry at him at the same time," he said. “It is a degree of courage and selflessness that I don’t know. I’ve never been asked to have that for a stranger. And he just gives it so easily."
He hopes others will give too. In an easier way than his dad has.
"Just wear a mask," he said. "That’s easy. That is so easy. Please wear a mask."
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